Discharge vessel with subdivision of voltage



NQV- 5, 1935- l J. G. w. MuLpER Er AL 2,020,077

DISCHARGE VESSEL WITH- SUBDIVISION OF `VOITAGE Filed 001'.. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.- 5, 1935. J. G. w. MULDER E1- Al. 2,020,077

DISCHARGE VESSEL WITH SUBDIVISION OF VOLTAGE Filed Oct. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISCHARGE vEssEL wrrn SUBDIVISION oF voL'rAGE Application October 26, 1933, Serial No. 695,358 In Germany November 2, 1932 9 Claims.

, has been found that discharge tubes constructed and connected in this manner, although extremely compact, are capable of withstanding the highest voltages, so that it is possible to use, even for extremely high voltage discharges, vessels having a gaseous filling.

According to the invention, the condensers connected in parallel with the individual sections of the discharge path are arranged to annularly surround the discharge vessel proper so that when a plurality of potential subdivisions is provided the condensers constitute together a closed, and preferably cylindrical body. Each of the condensers may advantageously consist of a cylindrical ring of a highly insulating material such as porcelain or articial resin, the annular body being provided with two separated grooves which are concentric with the axis of the cylinder and extend from opposite ends of the annular body. These annular grooves, the walls of which are approximately parallel to each other, are provided on these walls with a good conducting layer. This layer may be made, for example, by means of a metal extruding process. The metal coatings of two operating grooves constitute the two armatures of one cylindrical condenser. The condensers are secured in position, either by means of resilient rings engaging the Wall of the discharge vessel and also establishing electrical contact with the metal bodies used to subdivide the voltage, or the various condensers may be held in position by pressure by means of two end hoods or rings secured to the ends of the tube. The conductive connection between the coatings of two adjacent condensers is brought about b'yra proper extension of the metal coatings or by the interposition of annular metal conductors. The end hoods holding the condensers together may be secured in position by means of a screw thread. For this purpose preferably portions of the screw threads of the standard Edison base of the tube which engage the end hoods can be used.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect one form of construction of a discharge vessel according to 5 the invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view partly in section showing one embodiment of the invention. l0

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 3 showing the attachment of the rings.

Fig. 3 is a sectionized side view showing the attachment of the rings.

'I'he preferably cylindrical envelope I of the 15 discharge vessel (Figure 1) carries at its two ends, through which the electrodes are introduced into the tube, two hoods 2 and 3 preferably provided with Edison bases 4 and 5. suitably supported from the upper end of the vessel and with its two 20 ends electrically connected to the two terminals of the base 4 is an incandescible cathode 30. Suitably supported from the lower end of the vessel and electrically connected to one of the terminals of the base 5 is an anode 3|. 'I'he glass wall is 25 interrupted by interposed metal rings 6, 1, 8, 9 sealed to the glass wall so as to insure a complete vacuum within the tube, the wings surrounding the discharge path for the subdivision of the voltage. 30

Connected to the metal rings are cylindrical or annular condensers I0, Il, I2, and I3. The uppermost condenser I0 being shown in section. The annular condenser body is provided with two grooves I4 and I5 which are separated from each 35 other by the insulating material of the annular body. The walls of these grooves are coated with a conductive layer shown in dotted lines 28. The in- L dividual cylindrical condensers are held together by end hoods I6 and II screwed on to the thread 40 of the Edison bases 4 and 5.

YFigures 2 and 3 show a. different manner of attaching the condenser rings. In contradistinction to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the separating surfaces of the individual rings inter- 45 sect the metal instead of the glass parts of the discharge vessel.

I8 designates a metal member of the envelope of the discharge vessel, to the edges of which are sealed the adjoining glass parts I9 and 20. 50 The metal ring I8 is provided with -a groove in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tube and in which groove rest two resilient metal wires 2| and 22. The wires 2| and 22 are stretched along the metal part I8 and secured to a metal 65 vent a, lateral displacement of the condenser ring.

Again in this construction, the entire system of the piled condenser annuli may be held together by hoods screwed on to the tube ends. 'Ihe metal wires 2| and 22 which eiIect the centering, also serve for the electrical connection of the condensers to the metal members of the tube wall.

1. In combination, a high tension electric discharge tube having a gaseous nlling,.two electrodes in. said tube and electrode chambers thereior, a discharge channel connecting said electrode chambers, a plurality of conductive members insulated from each other and distributed along the length oi the discharge channel, and a protective cylinder formed of a pluralityl of sections surrounding said tube, each section oi.' said cylinder comprising a condenser, the opposite armatures oi adjacent condensers being electrically connected with each other so that all condensers are connected in series, the connecting point oi adjacent condensers being electrically connected to one of said conductive members.

2. A protective cylinder for electric discharge tubes comprising a plurality of sections each formed oi a ring-shaped body of insulating material, each body comprising two substantially concentric grooves, the two grooves extending from opposite ends of-said body through a substantial part of said body and partly overlapping each other, and a conductive coating onl the surface of cach of said grooves, said coating extending over at least a portion of the corresponding end surfaces oi the section.

3. A protective cylinder for an electrical discharge tube comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising a ring-shaped condenser, means provided on the end surfaces of said condensers for electrically connecting two successive condensers, said means including a disc member interposed between adjacent condensers, and conductors secured to said disc member and forming outside electrical connecting members for the common point of adjacent condensers.

4. In combination, an electrical discharge device anda protective cylinder surrounding same, said discharge device comprising an envelope, and means disposed along said envelope for subdividing the potential, said protective cylinder comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising an annular condenser body, -means disposed on the end surfaces of said annular condenser body for electrically connecting two successive condensers, said means including a disc member interposed between adjacentbodies, and conductors secured to said discs and connecting same to the potential-subdividing means of said tube.

5. In combination, a hightension electric dis charge tube comprising an envelope, a gaseous nlling and -electrodes therein, said envelope having alternating glass parte and circumterentially grooved metal parts, a protective cylinder surs rounding said tube and composed of sections, the number of which exceeds by one the number ot said metal parts, each section comprising a condenser body of dielectric material, said body having two grooves which are concentric with the 1o cylinder and are recessed from opposite ends of the sections, conductive layers on the walls ot said grooves, said layers forming the armatures of the condenser, a metal ring interposed between" adjacent sections and interconnecting adjacent 15 condensers, and means securing and electrically connecting said rings to opposing metal parts,

saidI means comprising two wires, each connecting two inner circumferential points of the ring' and symmetrically disposed with respect to the 20 axis oi the cylinder, said wires engaging the circumierential groove of the corresponding metal part.

6. An electric discharge device comprising an elongated container, a protective cylinder sur- 2s rounding said container and composed oi.' a plurality of similarly shaped sections mounted in axial alignment with each other, end members secured one at each end ot said container, said end members retaining said sections in position: 7. An electric discharge device comprising an elongated container, electrodes mounted therein, contact screw caps secured one to each of the opposite ends of said container and electrically connected to the adjacent electrodes, a protective cylinder comprising a plurality of equally shaped i??? sections mounted in axial alignment with each other and surrounding said container, and end members secured to each of said screw caps and retaining in position said sections.

8. An electric discharge device comprising an 0 elongated envelope, electrodes mounted therein, a plurality of conductive members equidistantly disposed along said elongated envelope, a protective`cylinder surrounding said envelope, said cylinder being composed of a plurality oi' sec- 6 tions, each comprising a condenser, said sections being interconnected by interposed ring-shaped discs, said discs having thickened edges between which are held the adjacent ends of two sections,

said discs being electrically connected with op- 50 posing conductive members, and terminal mem- -bers secured to each end oi the tube and preventing axial displacement ot said sections.

9. In combination, an electric discharge device comprising an elongated envelope and electrodes therein, a plurality of conductive members disposed along said envelope subdividing the envelope into a plurality of sections, and a plurality of series-connected, ring-shaped condensers arranged in alignment with each other to form a composite tubular member surrounding the discharge device, each of said condensers being connected to two successive conductive members and in parallel to one of the sections oi' g5 the envelope.

JACOB HERMANNUS VAN DER TUUK. 10 

